"Let's Drive Off into the Sunset"

While, I may be relieved that season 3 of Arrow is over, I firmly believe that this was a transition season and season 4 will be better than ever. I still love this show and only want the best for it. So keep that in mind as I rundown the third season.




I found the third season to be illogical, filled with plot holes and full of fan pandering. The show itself is trying to tell a completely different story than one that is actually being written in the writers' room and that's unfortunate.

Everything this season has felt forced and inorganic. I just want to get back to basics. We've officially spent 69 episodes of Oliver trying to figure out who he is and what exactly that entails. He doesn't seem any smarter or wiser than the man we met back in the pilot episode. Diggle is still lucky to get to say more than 13 words in an episode and Felicity has worn out her welcome in a lot of fans eyes (including mine). I don't believe the so called brotherhood between Diggle and Oliver and I no longer see or feel any sexual chemistry between Stephen Amell and Emily Bett Rickards.

But with all of that said there were definitely some amazing things that came out of the season. So here's a very detailed and in-depth analysis of what I loved, liked and down right loathed.

Arrow Season Synopsis - In the aftermath of his victory, season 3 opens with The Arrow now a hero to the citizens of Starling. Crime is down, people feel safer, and Captain Lance even calls off the Anti-Vigilante Task Force. Basking in his success, Oliver believes he can finally have a private life and asks Felicity out on a date. But the second Oliver takes his eye off the ball, a deadly villain reappears in Starling, forcing Oliver to realize that he can never be Oliver Queen – not as long as the city needs The Arrow.

Main cast

• Stephen Amell as Oliver Queen/The Arrow/Al Sah-him
• Katie Cassidy as Laurel Lance/Black Canary
• David Ramsey as John Diggle
• Willa Holland as Thea Queen/Speedy
• Emily Bett Rickards as Felicity Smoak
• Colton Haynes as Roy Harper/Arsenal
• John Barrowman as Malcolm Merlyn/Dark Archer
• Paul Blackthorne as Captain Quentin Lance

Recurring Cast

• Brandon Routh as Ray Palmer/The Atom
• Karl Yune as Maseo Yamashiro/Sarab
• Rila Fukushima as Tatsu Yamashiro
• Matt Nable as Ra's al Ghul
• Cynthia Addai-Robinson as Amanda Waller
• Audrey Marie Anderson as Lyla Michaels-Diggle

1x01 - The Calm - With crime in Starling City at an all-time low thanks to The Arrow and his team, Oliver thinks he can finally balance being both the Arrow and Oliver Queen and asks Felicity out on a date. However, when a new villain emerges, who has claimed the name Vertigo from the recently deceased Count, Oliver is caught off-guard and someone close to him is hurt. Oliver and a newly suited up Roy take on the Count. Meanwhile, Diggle becomes a father, Quentin is promoted to Captain, Laurel joins Team Arrow and Felicity gets a part-time job at a tech store to make ends meet. Also, Oliver fights to regain his company, Queen Consolidated, but comes up against a very worthy opponent - the charming Ray Palmer.
Grade: B+

1x02 - Sara - Quentin calls The Arrow when another archer appears in town and starts skewering businessmen. Diggle uses A.R.G.U.S. to find the archer’s identity; he is a man named Simon Lacroix, who goes by the codename Komodo. However, the team hits a rough patch with the mission and gets help from a surprising source - Laurel. Meanwhile, Oliver begins to worry that he hasn’t heard from Thea, which forces Roy to tell him the truth about why she left town. Ray Palmer pursues Felicity. In the flashback, Maseo tells Oliver that Amanda Waller has ordered his first kill. As Oliver looks down the scope of the rifle, he sees the target is his best friend, Tommy. Despite her promise to her sister, Laurel debates sharing a secret about Sara with Quentin.
Grade: B-

1x03 - Corto Maltese - Oliver decides it’s time for Thea to come back to Starling City, so he packs for Corto Maltese, where Felicity has traced Thea’s whereabouts. Lyla asks Diggle to go with Oliver because one of her field operatives, Mark Shaw, has gone dark in Corto Maltese and she’d like him to look into it. Feeling responsible for Thea's departure, Roy joins Oliver and Diggle on their journey. Shaw double-crosses Diggle, putting numerous A.R.G.U.S. agents, including Lyla, at risk. Meanwhile, Laurel meets Ted Grant, and Felicity adjusts to her new job.
Grade: A-

1x04 - The Magician - A furious Nyssa confronts Oliver about Sara. When Oliver learns Malcolm Merlyn is alive, he suspects Merlyn killed Sara. Oliver and Nyssa join forces and go after the Dark Archer, intent on bringing Sara's killer to justice. Laurel keeps her distance from Nyssa, as she blames her sister's death on her involvement with the League of Assassins. Meanwhile, Oliver and Roy work on repairing their respective relationships with Thea, who has returned home. Nyssa discusses Oliver with her father, Ra's al Ghul.
Grade: B-

1x05 - The Secret Origin of Felicity Smoak - When a cyber attack brings Starling City to its knees, Oliver and Felicity are pushed to their limits to contain the destruction. Life gets even more complicated for Felicity when her mother, Donna, stops by for a surprise visit. Meanwhile, Ted Grant questions Laurel’s motives, and Thea buys an apartment with Malcolm’s "estate" money, which infuriates Oliver.
Grade: B-

1x06 - Guilty - After a body is found strung up in the Wildcat gym, Ted Grant becomes the main suspect. Oliver and Laurel argue over Ted's innocence. Meanwhile, in flashbacks, when Maseo needs Oliver to remember where an informant for China's EBFAEB stashed key information, he asks Tatsu to help jog Oliver's memory. Roy shares a secret with Felicity.
Grade: C+

1x07 - Draw Back Your Bow - Oliver must stop an Arrow-obsessed serial killer, Carrie Cutter, who is convinced that The Arrow is her one true love and will stop at nothing to get his attention. Unfortunately, her way of getting his attention is to kill people. Meanwhile, Ray asks Felicity to be his date for a work dinner with important clients. Thea auditions new DJs for Verdant and meets Chase, a brash DJ with whom she immediately clashes.
Grade: C-

1x08 - The Brave and the Bold - Oliver, Arsenal and Diggle track down the location of a boomerang-wielding killer named Digger Harkness but are surprised when they come face to face with an A.R.G.U.S. team. Diggle asks Lyla why A.R.G.U.S. is involved but she defers until Harkness attacks the building, killing several agents and targeting Lyla. The Arrow joins the fight and gets help from an old friend – The Flash. Harkness manages to get away and Oliver teams up with Barry again to find him before he can get to Lyla. When Harkness plants five bombs in the city that are timed to explode at the same time, both teams must come together to save the city.
Grade: B-

1x09 - The Climb - Nyssa returns to Starling City and tells Oliver that her father, Ra's al Ghul has given Oliver 48 hours to find Sara's killer or the League of Assassins will start killing the citizens of Starling City. Laurel is stunned when her father delivers a very special Christmas gift – her mother, Dinah. Meanwhile, Ray tries to make amends with Felicity and Oliver sets a meeting with Ra's al Ghul.
Grade: A

1x10 - Left Behind - In the aftermath of Oliver’s fight with Ra's Al Ghul, Diggle and Roy Harper continue to protect the city in The Arrow's absence. However, after 3 days without hearing from Oliver, they begin to fear the worst may have happened to their friend. Felicity refuses to believe that Oliver could be dead until Malcolm pays the team a surprise visit. Thea suspects there is something more behind Oliver’s disappearance and asks Malcolm for a favor. Meanwhile, Ray tests a part of his new suit and Laurel takes up the mantle of the Black Canary.
Grade: B+

1x11 - Midnight City - Arsenal and Diggle confront Laurel about trying to step into her sister's shoes and warn her to stop before she gets herself killed. However, when Brick kidnaps the city's Aldermen and threatens to kill them all unless the police evacuate The Glades, it's all suits on deck. Meanwhile, Ray steps in to help Lance and the police force fight Brick, showing Felicity a new side of her boss. Malcolm tells Thea that Ra's al Ghul is after him and his family and they must leave town immediately.
Grade: C+

1x12 - Uprising - Still operating without Oliver and determined to stop Brick, Team Arrow is forced to weigh Malcolm’s offer to help shut Brick down as Malcolm has a personal vendetta to settle with the thug. Roy and Laurel point out that the team could use some help to save the innocents of The Glades, but Felicity is adamantly against it. They look to Diggle to make the final decision. Meanwhile, the flashbacks chronicle Malcolm’s descent from kind-hearted father and husband to cold-blooded killer after the murder of his wife.
Grade: C-

1x13 - Canaries - Oliver is thrown by the changes within Team Arrow. He's used to calling the shots but sees that the team has evolved in his absence and tensions quickly escalate in the lair. Oliver is furious that Laurel has been going out as the Black Canary and tells her to stop risking her life, but when Vertigo hits the streets again, Laurel goes against Oliver's wishes and tracks down Vertigo who hits her with a full dose of the drug. Laurel's biggest fears revolve around her sister Sara so the Vertigo causes her to hallucinate an epic fight between Canary and Black Canary. Meanwhile, Chase surprises Thea, and Roy warns Thea to stay away from Malcolm.
Grade: B+

1x14 - The Return - Malcolm puts Oliver and Thea in a dangerous situation that lands them on Lian Yu with Oliver’s former enemy, Deathstroke. A flashback reveals when Oliver and Maseo returned to Starling City to retrieve the Omega bio weapon, and despite being under strict orders from Amanda Waller not to reveal himself to anyone, Oliver looks in on his family, Laurel and Tommy.
Grade: B-

1x15 - Nanda Parbat - Malcolm is captured by Ra's al Ghul and taken to Nanda Parbat. Because of his love for Thea, Oliver considers saving Merlyn. Ray is obsessed with finishing his Atom suit so he can save the city but Felicity fears he is heading down the same path as Oliver and tries to pull him out of the lab.
Grade: C+

1x16 - The Offer - Still weighed down by his last meeting with Ra's al Ghul, Oliver returns home to find a new villain and his crew have started terrorizing Starling City – Michael Amar AKA Murmur, a man whose mouth has been sewn shut. Meanwhile, Laurel and Nyssa bond over their issues with their fathers and Nyssa makes Laurel an offer. Thea is forced to come to terms with her father after Oliver brings Malcolm to the loft to recover, and Lance shuts out both Laurel and the Arrow.
Grade: C-

1x17 - Suicidal Tendencies - It's celebration time as Diggle and Lyla get married. However, Deadshot interrupts their honeymoon and tells them the Suicide Squad has been given a new mission – rescue United States Senator Joseph Cray from a hostage situation in the Republic of Kasnia. Amanda Waller breaks down the mission and introduces them to the newest member of the Suicide Squad, Cupid. Meanwhile, Oliver learns about Ray's new Atom costume and the two have a heated stand-off. Felicity and Ray hit a rough patch.
Grade: C-

1x18 - Public Enemy - During an attack on the mayor's office, Ray is critically injured. Felicity is pleasantly surprised when her mother, Donna Smoak, shows up at the hospital to offer her support. With the SCPD out in full force looking for the assailant, Oliver and his team work hard to stay one step ahead of the police to find the man responsible. However, things come to a head when Ra's al Ghul kidnaps Captain Lance.
Grade: C-

1x19 - Broken Arrow - Lance continues his mission to take down the Arrow so Felicity orders Oliver to keep a low profile. However, when a meta-human named Jake Simmons, who kills people with blasts of energy and plasma, starts terrorizing Starling City, Oliver is forced to ask Ray for help. The unlikely duo is forced to team up to save the city.
Grade: C-

1x20 - The Fallen - Ra's al Ghul finally makes Oliver an offer he can't refuse. The team joins Oliver on his journey to Nanda Parbat where a heartbroken Felicity decides to take matters into her own hands.
Grade: C-

1x21 - Al Sah-him - Oliver goes through a rigorous transformation. The League of Assassins sets their sites on Nyssa, who is back in Starling City training Laurel. When Nyssa realizes they are coming, she arms up to face them alone but Laurel asks Felicity and Diggle to help protect her new friend.
Grade: C+

1x22 - This Is Your Sword - Oliver/Al Sah-him finishes his training and is left with two final tasks to become the next Ra’s al Ghul. Ra's threatens Nyssa and delivers some shocking news. Meanwhile, Malcolm makes a surprising offer to Team Arrow and Thea goes to see Roy.
Grade: C-

1x23 - My Name Is Oliver Queen - Everyone's lives are in danger as Ra's al Ghul puts forth his final plan. Oliver/Al Sah-him must decide if he's strong enough to take on this new role and what it will mean for everyone on Team Arrow, and his soul.
Grade: C+

Season Average: C-

Highlights

• Roy Harper/Arsenal character arc
• Laurel Lance officially starting her Black Canary journey
• Backstory on Felicity Smoak
• Introduction of Mama Smoak (Charlotte Ross)
• Laurel joining Team Arrow
• Switching it up with the title cards
• The scoring of the show

Lowlights

• Oliver's character development (or lack thereof)
• Too much romance and drama and not enough action
• The League of Assassins arc had a very unsatisfactory conclusion
• Arrow characters appearing on The Flash were always at their best when on The Flash
• First part and last part of the season meandered
• Oliver's return from the "dead" was very anticlimactic
• Sara's death was basically a macguffin 

Top 5 Episodes

Crème de la Crème

Best Character Development - N/A
Best OTP - Poak (Felicity and Ray)
Best Brotp - Figgle (Diggle and Felicity)
Best Guest Star - Brandon Roth
Best New Character - Ted Grant/Wildcat
Best Returning Villain - Deathstroke
Best One-Off Villain -
Favorite Main Character - John Diggle
Favorite Recurring Character (s) - Maseo and Tatsu Yamashiro
Favorite Writer (s) - Erik Oleson and Beth Schwartz (both as a writing team and as individual writers)
Favorite Director - John Behring and Wendey Stanzler
Most Valuable Player - Willa Holland/Thea Queen
Most Improved Player - Colton Haynes/Roy Harper
Best Returning Guest Star - Katrina Law/Nyssa al Ghul

(The Sticky Stuff on the) Bottom of the Barrel

Worst Character Development - Laurel Lance
Worst OTP - Olicity (Felicity and Oliver)
Worst Brotp - Querlyn (Malcolm and Oliver)
Worst New Character - Cupid
Worst New Villain - Vertigo
Worst One-Off Villain - Murmur
Least Favorite Main Character - Malcolm Merlyn
Least Favorite Recurring Character -Ra's al Ghul

Feel free to sound off in the comments about what you liked, loved and loathed about the third season of Arrow.